Govt steps up CoV containment efforts
Aditi Tandon
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, February 4
As Hong Kong reported the second coronavirus death outside mainland China today, India intensified containment efforts deciding to use aerobridges to screen passengers at seven international airports here.
Health Secretary Preeti Sudan informed the states during a review meeting today that earmarked aero bridges would be used at seven international airports (Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Cochin, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Chennai) at the dedicated gates to screen passengers from China, Singapore, Thailand and Hong Kong for infection control and effective prevention.
The Health Ministry said India had only three positive cases so far — all from Kerala and all with travel history to China. There is no positive case in either of the two quarantine facilities set up by the Army to house 645 Indians who returned from China recently.
The Army had on Monday declared as negative all five patients at Manesar quarantine who had displayed symptoms of cold and cough. The Army said: “A team of Army doctors interact with the students regularly, keeping them motivated. Residents are provided TV, carom and cards for indoor recreation.”
States that do not have airports or seaports, such as Haryana, today reported to the Centre that they had launched special awareness drives at toll plazas, bus stations and railway stations.
